Description
This Ground Turkey Pasta in Romesco Sauce is a flavorful and quick Spanish-inspired dinner, featuring lean ground turkey and spiralized zucchini tossed in a rich, smoky roasted red pepper romesco sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that balances protein and veggies with vibrant Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Romesco Sauce:
- 10 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained (300 mL; approximately 1 cup)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup almonds
- 2 tablespoons red vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 slice bread, torn into pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Ground Turkey Pasta:
- 4 oz linguine, uncooked
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 zucchini, spiralized (approx. 4-6 cups)
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Romesco Sauce: In a blender, combine the roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, garlic, almonds, red vinegar, olive oil, torn bread pieces, salt, and smoked paprika. Blend until smooth, then set the sauce aside for later use.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to boil and cook the linguine according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the Ground Turkey: While the pasta cooks, heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the lean ground turkey and break it up into small pieces with a spatula. Cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until no pink remains and the meat is cooked through.
- Add Spiralized Zucchini: Add the spiralized zucchini noodles to the pan with the cooked turkey. Using tongs, toss and cook for about 3 minutes until the zucchini is slightly softened but still retains some texture.
- Toss Pasta with Turkey and Zucchini: Add the cooked linguine pasta to the pan with the turkey and zucchini. Toss everything together to mix evenly and heat through.
- Add Romesco Sauce and Serve: Pour the prepared romesco sauce over the pasta mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients with the sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top to taste and serve immediately.
Notes
- Note 1: You can substitute linguine with spaghetti or any other pasta shape you prefer.
- Note 2: Use lean ground turkey (93% lean or higher) for a healthier option and better texture.
- Note 3: If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can thinly slice zucchini into ribbons or small chunks as an alternative.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- To make this dish vegetarian, substitute ground turkey with cooked chickpeas or a plant-based ground meat alternative.
